Lil' Gus and the Pineapple Smoothie
by CNightJoy
Summary: Little Gus doesn't like Pineapples. Too bad Little Shawn thinks he has to try the greatest fruit ever invented.


I haven't written anything in a while and my roomate Puss in Heels asked me to write a Psyche fic. I happen to think Little Gus and Little Shawn are the most adorable kids (and maybe a bit distructive) out there. Throw in Shawn's love of Pineapples and Gus' hesitance to do anything that looks scary...and you get this fic. I don't own anything nor am I getting any money from this.

* * *

Gus did not like pineapples. They were a weird color with weird leaves and spikes all around it. He couldn't for the life of him understand Shawn's fascination (borderline obsession) with the evil-looking fruit.

"Shawn, there is just no way that you are going to get me to touch that thing," said Gus eyeing the huge pineapple on Shawn's kitchen table like it would sprout eight spiky legs and become a vicious spider.

"Come on, Gus. It's just a pineapple, the most delicious thing imaginable!" Shawn jumped up and down excitedly.

"It looks like it's gonna stab me if I touch it! Maybe even bite my hand off! I am not eating that Shawn!"

"Shawn, stop scaring Gus!" said Mr. Spencer as he walked in "I don't want to have to explain to the Gusters again why their son came home with another phobia or complex."

"Technically, Gus never came home with either a small pond animal or computer screen so I don't think you'll have to worry," said Shawn as he climbed onto one of the kitchen chairs.

"Shawn, a phobia is an extreme irrational fear, not an amoeba, and a complex is a problem emotionally, not the modem of a computer," said Gus inching further and further away from the pineapple.

"Well, you never went home with those either; we discovered you had them all along," Shawn smiled.

"Not helping, Shawn," Henry said, getting out a large knife. "Gus would you like some pineapple?"

"N-no th-thanks Mr. Spencer. I think I'm good," Gus couldn't stop his voice from shaking.

"Come on Gus it's good stuff!" cheered Shawn.

"Shawn, if Gus says he doesn't want any pineapple, he doesn't have to have any pineapple, okay?" said Henry resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"I still say he should try it," pouted Shawn.

Gus had already scampered out of the kitchen by the time Henry Spencer turned around to cut the healthiest food that Shawn would touch (without a ten foot pole and some explosives). Shawn ran after Gus with a quick "don't worry, I'll be back for you" to the pineapple. Henry just shrugged and began to cut.

When Shawn caught up to Gus, Gus had taken out his homework and was trying to do some math.

"Gus, why'd you run out so fast?" asked Shawn.

"Are you kidding me, Shawn? You're dad was just about to cut that thing! No way was I going to be there when it poked him!" snapped Gus.

"It wasn't going to poke him, Gus. My dad knows what he's doing." Gus raised an eyebrow. "And besides, it's delicious. You must have some."

"Absolutely NOT, Shawn!" said Gus. "I will not risk my life to taste that prickly evil thing! And there is no way you will get me to try it!"

Gus really shouldn't have challenged Shawn like that, because Shawn was already trying to think up the perfect way of introducing pineapples to his best friend.

* * *

Later that day, Shawn was with his father as he grilled burgers for dinner. "Hey, Dad?" asked Shawn.

"What, Shawn?" asked Henry.

"I wonder what would happen if you put a pineapple on the grill."

Henry paused. "I think you would have a grilled pineapple."

"Do you think it would taste like a pineapple or like charcoal?"

Henry could easily see where this was going. "I am not putting a pineapple on the grill."

Shawn ignored him, "Would it look like charcoal? I bet I could get Gus to eat it if he didn't think it was a pineapple."

Okay, so maybe Henry hadn't known where his son was going. "Shawn I don't think tricking Gus is a good idea. It's not good for friends to trick each other."

"But Dad, you saw how he was! He was dead scared of it! If I could get him to eat pineapple without him thinking it's a pineapple, maybe he would come to see the awesome mightiness of the pineapple!"

Though Henry was glad his son had discovered he actually liked something healthy, he was becoming a little concerned over all of the extra adjectives. At least he was increasing his vocabulary, even if some of those words were most likely of Shawn's own invention.

"Shawn," there was warning in Henry Spencer's voice as he said Shawn's name.

"But Daaaaad," whined Shawn. "You've always told me that I need to at least try new things, and I think Gus should try pineapple!"

"Sure Shawn, I've always said _you _need to try new things. Emphasis on _you_. If Gus' parents want him to try new things, they can make him try pineapple. You might end up scarring him for life."

Shawn pouted at the table. Henry resumed full attention to his burgers assuming the whole thing was finished, before Shawn piped up again.

"Couldn't we, the Spencer family, at least _try_ grilled pineapple?"

* * *

A few days later, Shawn and Gus were walking home from school when Shawn got distracted. This wasn't an odd occurrence for Shawn, and Gus was so used to it that it really didn't bother him…much.

"Gus, take a look at this!" exclaimed a hyperactive Shawn as he jumped up and down in front of a cardboard cutout of a strawberry smoothie in a pink and blue cup.

"It's a new smoothie bar, Shawn," said Gus not really getting it.

"I know! Isn't this great!"

"Shawn, you do not need any more sugar right now. You downed eight pixie sticks before our spelling bee. You almost broke Ms. O'Brian's glasses with your screeching."

"But they're smoothies Gus! We have to have smoothies! And look, they're giving out free samples!" Shawn's smile looked like it was about to explode off his face.

"Well if they're giving out free-" Shawn grabbed Gus' arm before he could finish his sentence. "Gah! Shawn, let go of me!"

Shawn dragged Gus all the way up to the counter. Shawn looked up at the man behind the register. "There was a sign out there that said we could try free smoothies," Shawn said. "My friend, Gus the Wuss, and I want to try them. We are the best taste testers around. If you're good, we'll spread your name to all the playgrounds in Santa Barbara."

The man, who looked like one of those grandfatherly gentlemen, smiled and said "I'm afraid we only have one flavor for sampling today, boys. Is that okay?"

Before Gus could ask what that flavor was Shawn spoke up excitedly. "Of course that's okay! We'll try anything!"

The man smiled again and gave them each small cups with a pale yellow smoothie like liquid inside.

Shawn took a sip. "I think I'm in heaven!" he said.

Gus took a small sip…then another…and then another. "This is really good. Hey mister, what flavor is this?" Gus asked the man behind the counter.

"Oh, didn't you read the poster. Today's free sample was pineapple." The man said smiling.

Shawn glanced at Gus. Gus looked like he was deep in thought.

"I guess pineapples aren't all bad," Gus finally said. Shawn smiled.

"See buddy, I told you they were fantabulous!"

Gus glared at Shawn. "One, fantabulous isn't a word. Two, you read that poster. YOU TRICKED ME, SHAWN! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

And with that, Shawn took off with Gus hot on his heels, leaving the man at the smoothie shop utterly confused. At least Shawn had managed to accomplish one good thing. Gus finally admitted to liking pineapples…at least pineapple smoothies, but Shawn would take what he could get.


End file.
